Box Score

Season Statistics

CANYON, Texas – The West Texas A&M men's soccer team dropped a close 1-0 contest to 25^th-ranked Fort Hays State on Thursday afternoon at The Pitch. The visiting Tigers recorded a 68^th minute goal off the foot of Tanner Brock to improve their record to 5-3-1. With the loss, the Buffs fall to 6-3 on the season.
 
Today marked the fifth match in the Buffs' current six-game home stretch. The Buffs held a 17-10 advantage in shots on the day but were only able to place four of those attempts on target to the Tigers' seven. Senior Christopher Hutton led the way for WT with three attempts while four other Buffs had two apiece. Sophomore keeper Patrick Satorie took the loss and falls to 4-3 on the year while Jason Babyak earned the win in goal for FHSU and moves to 1-1.
 
The Buffs started off the Thursday afternoon contest strong with some very good chances early on. Hutton would place an early attempt slightly wide just 49 seconds after kickoff. He was followed by a good look from junior Johnny Oliver who placed a ball about a foot over the crossbar after an open opportunity from the right wing at the 5:22 mark.
 
Later on in the sixth and 10^th minutes, junior Austin Henderson would have back-to-back shots-on-goal from within the 18-yard box but each attempt was stopped by Babyak, making just his third appearance in goal for the Tigers this season.
 
Babyak would be tested again in the 14^th minute as he was forced to make a stop on redshirt Tre Norton, who sent a strike in from outside the far right wing 20 yards out. Sophomore Chris Johnson trailed in immediately to pick up the rebound but struck a shot up above the goal from close range.
 
Following another on-target shot by Hutton, the Tigers gathered their first opportunity of the half in the 16^th minute as Satorie would make a tough grab off a shot by Diego Cabral. Austin Clifton would get another chance for the Tigers just minutes later but Satorie would make the stop again.
 
At the break, the Buffs would lead the Tigers in shot attempts, 8-4, while also holding the advantage in shots-on-goal, 4-2. Henderson and Hutton each registered two shots for the Buffs. Satorie finished the half with two saves while Babyak tallied four.
 
FHSU pressured early in the second frame as Satorie was forced to make stops on Clifton and Brock. The Buffs would manage a few shots of their own in the ensuing minutes but failed to find the mark.
 
The Tigers then grabbed the game-winning goal in the 68^th minute. Michael Cole placed a perfectly timed cross inside the box splitting two WT defenders and drawing Satorie wide. Brock then tapped in the one-timer on an empty net for his first score of the season.
 
WT was never able to place a shot on target for the remainder of the match and had few opportunities even within the 18 yard box. The Buffs' best chance at knotting the score came shortly after FHSU's goal in the 73^rd minute. Henderson took the corner on the left side and found sophomore Ryan Kennedy for the header just in front of the right post but his attempt would sail wide of the mark.
 
With the loss, the Buffs fall to 4-2-1 all-time against FHSU after defeating the Tigers in both matchups in 2013. The two sides will meet again on Nov. 2 in Hays, Kan.
 
WT will return to action next Wednesday, Oct. 8, for the sixth and final game of its current home stretch. The Buffs will host rival Eastern New Mexico with kickoff set for 7 p.m. WT is 13-5-2 all-time against the Greyhounds. Last season, the Buffs won the first meeting, a 1-0 overtime thriller in Canyon on Oct. 18, followed by a 1-1 draw in Portales on Oct. 24. Live stats and a free video webstream will be available courtesy of West Texas A&M Athletic Media Relations. Links can be found on www.GoBuffsGo.com via the men's soccer schedule page.